Sand-blower and brake attachment.



No.74 5,394. PATENTED 1330.1,1903

' J. D. SMITH.

SAND BLOWER AND BRAKE ATTACHMENT.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 190a. no MODEL. 2 snsms-s1nzm 1.

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PATENTED DEC. 1 1903.

. J. D. SMITH. SAND BLOWER AND BRAKE ATTACHMENT,

APPLICATION-FILED JULY 20, 1903.

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no MODEL. V

UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.-

SAN D-BLOWER AND BRAKE ATTACHMENT.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,394, dated December 1, 1903. Application filed July 20,1903. Serial No. 166,383. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES DOUGLASS SMITH, a citizen of the United States residing at Mo- Donoghville, in the parish of Jefferson and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Sand-Blower and Brake Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in sandblowers, the object being to give the engineer full control of the sand-feeding apparatus in connection with the air brake apparatus, whereby the regulation of both is accomplished through common means.

A further object is to provide special means whereby the engineer can further control the distribution of sand to the track independent of the air-brake mechanism. v r

I am aware of the fact that sand-blowers have been heretofore used and that the valves controlling the air-blast to the sand-pipes have been heretofore linked to the air-brake lever.

My invention consists inthe novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter shown and described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the arrangement of the pipes. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valves and valve-levers, brakes being off and valves controlling airblast to sand-dome being closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view, partly in section, and the valves being opened to admit air to pipes leading to the sand-dome. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the valves shown partly in vertical elevation and partly in section. Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the interior of the sand-dome, the dome being in section and the upper part broken away. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A represents a sand-dome of the usual construction, having a horizontal false bottom A, in which are formed, adjacent opposite sides of the box, apertures A Below the apertures are arranged guidebrackets A in which work slides A and to each slide is attached ends of the T-lever A extending to the engine-cab. Secured to the under side of each bracket and leading downward through the wall of the sand-dome to a point adjacent the rails are pipes B, the said pipes being of larger diameter than the usual sand-pipe and their upper ends registering with the apertures A when the slides A are moved horizontally to uncover said apertures.

Sand-pipes O 0 lead in pairs from each side of the dome to the rail, the pipes on one side of the dome leading to one rail and those on the opposite side to the other rail. The pipes 0 open downwardly in advance of the forward drive-wheels and the pipe 0 in the rear of same. At their upper ends these pipes extend through the sand-dome walls, each pair terminating above one of the apertures portion passing through the dome, and on said threaded portion work jam-nuts 0 two nuts being arranged on each pipe, one on the inside of the dome and one on the outside. By means of these the pipes are rendered adjustable with respect to the distance they extend into the interior of the dome.

Air-pipes O and G extend into the dome in vertical alinement to points adjacent the center of same. At a point in alinement with the inner ends of the pipes C the pipe 0 is fitted with a T-coupling, from which extend pipes 0 the said pipes C terminating in tapering nozzles 0 in alinement with theinner ends of the pipes O and discharging air-jets into same.

Pipes C arranged parallel to the pipes 0 discharge through nozzles 0 into the pipes C, the pipes 0 being connected to the pipe 0 by a suitable elbow G Itwill be understood that a space intervenes between the ends of the nozzles mentioned and the pipes C O and that the adjustability of the latter pipes permits increase or decrease of this space.

The usual air-brake valve D is arranged in the engine-cab and is operated by the valvehandle D. To this air-brake-valve casing is bolted a bracket E, carrying a valve-casting The pipes O and O are threaded on the E, which contains the valves E and E The valve E controls passage of air into a U- shaped pipe E to the ends of which the pipes O and O are connected. The valves E and E have the form of downwardly-open cones, each being perforated on one side, as at E and E each valve rotating in conical seats formed in the casting. Below the valve E is a chamber E closed by a suitable threaded plug E The valve E opens downwardly into a pipe E threaded into the casting below the valve, the said pipe being connected to any suitable pipe leading from one of the air-reservoirs. Between the two valves the casting E is formed with an inclined bore E the upper end of said bore being adapted to register with the opening E in the valve E and its lower end opening into the chamber E A handle F is connected to the upper end of the valve E and a handle G to the upper end of the valve E Alug D transversely perforated, is formed on the valve-handle I), and sliding in the perforation of this lug is a rod D On one side of the lug the rod D has an annular shoulder D formed on it. On the other side the rod is threaded, and a thumb-nut D Works thereon. The non-threaded end ofthe rod D is pivoted to the valve-handle G. It is obvious that the valve-handle D will slide on the handle D between the shoulder D' and nut D but that when the valve-handle D is turned, so that the lug D contacts with either the nut or the shoulder, further movement of the handle D will rotate the valve-handle G.

The operation of my device is as follows: Air from the main reservoir (not shown) passes through the pipe E and by its pressure holds the valve E" firmly in its'seat. By turning the handle F the valve E can be set so as to open a passage between the chamber E and either O or C, so that sand will be thrown upon either side of the driving-Wheels, the pipe through which sand is distributed depending on the direction in which the engine is running. When the handle D is on running or release position, the valve E is closed. Then the handle D reaches on lap, the plug D will contact with the nut D and through medium of the rod D will rotate the handle Gand valve E and the sand will commence to run, and when the handle D reaches service stop the air passes through the opening E bore E chamber E opening E, and pipe (J or G, throwing sand into either pipe 0 or G. On moving the handle D to the emergency stop the valve E will be opened to its full extent and sand will be delivered in increased amount to the track. Should gravelor the like accumulate between the nozzles and the inner ends of the pipes C O, the lever A is drawn, drawing out the slides, and the accumulated gravel will pass down through the pipes 13 to the track. The

distance through which the handle D can be moved without shutting oft the valve E can be regulated by adjusting the nut D on the rod D Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a sand-dome having a false bottom, sand-pipes leading horizontally from the dome adjacent said bottom, the bottom being perforated below the inner ends of said pipes, a slide covering each perforation, dischargepipes secured below the false bottom and closed at their upper ends by the slides, and means operable from an engine-cab for drawing said slides so as to uncover the perforations and upper ends of the discharge-pipes.

2. The com bination with a sand-dome,sandpipes leading horizontally from said dome,airpipes leading into the dome and having nozzles opening in alinement with the inner ends of the sand-pipes, means for adjusting the distance between said nozzles and sand-pipes and means for discharging through the bottom of the dome gravel or rocks accumulating between the nozzles and sand-pipes.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a sand-dome sand-pipes leading therefrom, an air-brake valve, air-pipes adapted to discharge air into the inner ends of the sandpipes, a valve controlling ad mission of air to said pipes, a handle on said valve, a handle on the brake-valve said handle having a perforated lug thereon, a rod threaded at one end and sliding in the perforation of the lug on the air-brake-v'alve handle, the opposite end of said rod being pivoted on the other valve-haudle, ashonlder on the rod between the two valve-handles, and an adjustable thumb-nut on the threaded portion of the rod.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a sand-dome, sand-distributing pipes adjustably extending into said dome, air-pipes leading to said dome and adapted to force sand into the sand-pipes, the outer end of said air-pipes being connected by an elbow, a valve in said elbow, an air-brake valve having a handle, a bracket secured to said valve and supporting the elbow, a casting integral with the saidelbow and inclosing the valve in said elbow, a chamber being formed below the valve, a downwardly-open conical valve in said casting, an air-supply pipe opening into the lower part of said valve, said casting having a bore leading from said valve to the chamber below the elbow-valve, a handle on the downwardly-open valve, and a rod connecting the handles of the two valves.

JAMES DOUGLASS SMITH.

Witnesses:

ANDRE DORIOOOMT, J12, OHS. J. GAUTHREAU. 

